Improvement in ice-machines



NITED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

DAVID BOYLE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ICE-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 163, 143, dated May ll,1875; application filed October 24, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, DAVID BoYLE, of Wash ington, District of Columbia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice- Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

The invention relates to an improvement in machines for the manufactureof ice; and consists in the devices, hereinafter described, for the evendistribution of the freezing-fluid through compartments encompassed by anonconducting frame, and formed of metallic plates having partitions,open at alternate ends, so as to produce a uniform temperature over thefreezing surface or plates upon which the ice is formed; also, in anarrangement of pipes, cocks, conduit, and pump, by which the circulationof the freezing-uuid is produced, as desired, over the rears of thefreezing-surfaces, and further affording a means of operating any one ormore of the freezing-surfaces at will; also, in a wedge-shaped pocket,placed at the ends of the spaces wherein the ice is formed, tofacilitate the removal of the ice when made.

The object of the invention is to provide a convenient machine forVmanufacturing ice.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying the elements of theinvention, certain parts removed'to disclosethe internal constructions.Fig.^2 is a top or plan view of same, certain parts broken out todisclose internal devices. Fig. 3 is an end View of same, with a side ofthe evaporator-tank removed. Fig. 5 is a detached view of thedistributer H. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the pocket Af.

In the accompanying drawings, A is a tank, in which are placed,equidistantly, the hollow water-tight partitions B, composed of themetallic plates or freezing-surfaces a, secured in a water-tight mannerto the metallic strip b', the metallic strip b' being encompassed by theframe d', of non-conducting material. The plates a are separated aproper distance, and provided with the partitions d, which t inwater-tight manner between the plates a, but are open at alternate ends.Spaces are provided on the outer sides of the frames d', to permit thecirculation of water through the tank. A pipe, D, provided with a cock,a',

leads from each compartment between the plates a to the evaporator-tankE, situated a-t one side of the tank A, so that a fluid may pass throughthe pipe from or to the compartments. An air-vent, m, provided with acock, is inserted in each compartment, to admit air when the compartmentis being emptied. The tank E is provided with a coilof pipe, F, formingthe evaporator-coil, the upper ends of the pipes of which pass throughthe end of the tank E, are reduced in diameter to the pipes F', andconverge radially into a distributer, H, formed of a piece of metalshaped as shown, the ends of the pipes Il terminating at a recess, c, inthe distributer, in which is placed the plug e, which being withdrawnthe pipes F may easily be cleaned by a wire or other suitable appliance.A pipe, I, leads into the side of the distributer, through which thevolatile liquid under pressure is fed to the coils F, which terminate inthe conduit L, leading to an exhaust and compression pump, (not shown,)for the purpose of compressing and reliquefying the volatile matter intoa condenser, whence the liquid is returned to the pipe I, through whichit is thus fedi continuously to the coil F, preserving a constantcirculation, and cooling` the fluid in the tank E. Near the bottom ofthe tank E is placed the false perforated bottom, M, which causes thedistribution of the fluid uniformly about the coil as it flows upward ordownward. From the bottom ofthe evaporator-tank E the pipes N and Pdescend, the former leading to the eduction, the latter to theinduction, port of the pump R. The pipe N is provided with the cock t,and connected with the main pipe T by the pipe h, provided with the cockZ. The pipe l? is provided with the cock 0, and connected with the pipeT by the pipe m, providedwith the cock n.

The main pipe T is provided with the pipes W, leading to the base of thecompartments, between the freezing-surfaces c, the pipes WV beingfurnished with the cocks p, and connected by the pipes X, provided withthe cocks t, with the conduit Z.

Midway between the plates c, at each end of the tank, are placed themetallic pockets A', formed open above, but water-tight elsewhere, andtapering from top downward. The

purpose of thesepockcts is to prevent the ice f'reezing to the tank.

During the operation of freezing, the pockets A are empty, but when theice is formed of the thickness desired, they are filled with water at acommon temperature, which thaws the ice oft', so that the pockets can bewithdrawn, and the sheets of ice removed.

The pump R is for causingv a. circulation of the cooling medium throughthe compartments, pipes, and about the coil of the apparatus.

The operation is as follows: The tank A having been lled with water tothe level of Y Ythe upper edgerot the platesV V6L,V and the tank E andhollow partitions B with some freezing-liquid, the volatile liquid orother cooling` agent is introduced into the coil F, through thedistributer H, becoming gaseous, chilling the coil, and extracting heatfrom the freezing-liquid in the tank E, emerging through the conduit Lunder the operation of an eX- haust. and compress pump, which returns itto a condenser, wherein it is liquified, and in that state returned tothe pipe I, thence to the distributer, and so into the coil Fcontinuously.

The cocks p in being opened, and the cocks t Z o closed, the pump R isoperated, which draws the uncongealable liquid from the base of thecompartments, thus causing the chilled fluid to pass from the tank Einto the-compartments, wherein it flows about the partitions d, thusevenly chilling the plates a, and finally emerging through the pipes Winto the main pipe T, thence through pipes m and l?, into the pump R,which redelivers it through the pipe N into the tank E.

By this operation, the water between the hollow partitions B is chilledand frozen from the surface downward, a-s the current of freezing-fluiddescends through the compartments.

To freeze the water from below upward upon its being discovered that theice is making too rapidly above, by closing the cocks tin, and openingthe cocks p lo, the current of freezing-fluid may be reversed, whichwill freeze the water between the partitions from below upward, as thefreezing-Huid ascends. In the above operations it is presumed that thecock w is open. v

When the ice has been formed on the plates as thick as desired, thecocks p are closed,

and the cocks t, x, and opened, which permits the freezing-Huidv toescape through the pipes X into escape-conduit Z, thus emptying thecompartments, when water at an ordinary temperature, being admittedthrough the pipes T and W to the compartments from a source higher thanthe tops of the plates a, fills the compartments, and thaws the ice offthe plates a, so that it may be withdrawn.

It is obvious that the ice may be relnoved, as aforesaid, from any oneor more of the plates a. by opening the cock m and the cock t leading tothe selected compartment, when the ice may be removed from theparticular plates by proceeding in respectV to its compartmentY Y andthe pipe a, as above specified, the operation of freezing continuingupon the other plates without interruption.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. A freezing-plate, operated by a refrigerant, and encompassed by anon-conducting frame.

2. The combination of a freezing surface or a freezing-plate,encompassed by a non-conducting-frame, with a series of partitions openat their alternate ends, for the purpose of producing` a uniform flowofthe chilling-fluid and evenly chilling the plates.

8. The combination of a hollow partition, encompassed by a nonconductor, with an evaporator-tank, as stated.

4. rIhe combination of the pump R with the pipe N having the cock t',l1. having the cock l, P having the cock o, T and m having the cock n, Whaving the cock p, substantial- 1y as set forth, for the purpose ofdirecting the flow of the chilling agent in a circuit beginnin g andending in the tank E, and including the hollow partitions B, and eitherupward or downward through the partitions, as described.

5. The wedge-shaped pocket R, in combination with the freezing-tank, forthe uses stated.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing improvements in ice machines, asabove described, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 21st day ofOctober, 1874..

DAVID BOYLE. [L. s] Witnesses:

S. F. AUSTIN, H. G. SPENCER.

